Supercharging apparatus for internal combustion engines



- 1931. c. R. GREUTER 1,835,299

SUPERCHARGING APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed June 28, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR. Ova/r455 7?. kiurfm ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 8, 1931. c. R. GREUTER SUPERCHARGING APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 28 K INVEN TOR. 6mm E5 R. Gmsansx.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 8, 1931 oNlT e CHARLES R. GREUTER F INDIANAPOLIS, INDJ IA NA surnnonnnerne nrrnmrusron INTERNAL coivmnsrroiv ENGINES Application an June 28,

This invention relates to a supercharging system for internal combustion engines and particularly to a system wherein the supercharger may be selectively placedin or out of service during the operationof the'engine.

.One'feature of the'invention resides in a novel form of relief valveiand controlling mechanism therefor for relieving excess pressures in the'carburetor air intake pipe caused 1Q by back-firing or sudden closin'gimovements of the throttle valve at high speeds. I Other features of'the invention and the full na ture thereof will be apparent from the attached drawings and the following speci- 1 fications and claims; a

Fig. 1 is an elevationalview of an internal combustion engine for'an automobile showing the location of thevarious parts of the supercharger system; "Fig. 2 is a sectional View of the relief valveand the pipe connections associated therewith. Fig. 3 is an end view of the saidivalve. Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the same valve. Fig. 5

. a is a sectional view taken on the line 5 5. of

Fig'.4.

In the drawings an automobile chassis member 10 is shown'supponting the usual radiator 11, hood cover. 12 andinternal combustion engine 13. t

Vacuum tank 14 is used to draw gasoline from a supply tank not shown in the draw+ ings and which is assumed to be at a; lower elevation than the carburetor. An auxilthe vacuum tankand is supplied with gaso line from fthesaidtank by means of pipe line 16, fuel pump 17, pipeline 18. 9 The fuel pump 17; is herein shown positioned on the upper partof the engine and is assumed to be driven by the camshaft of the engine.

The tank 15 is provided with a float operating a needle valve to controlthe supply of'f'uel from the pipe line 18 to maintain a substantially constant fuel level within the said tank in a well'known manner. The pump 17 is provided with a bypass relief of a suitable type to prevent excess pressure in the line 18 when the needle valve in tank 15 is closed. The fuel is supplied from the tank A common form of iary gasoline tank 15 is provided adjacent 1929. s iiai n. 374,478.

15 to the line 22. a

' Mounted on the forward end of the chassis frame 10 is a supercharger 23 preferably of the rotary form. 1 Q The supercharger 23 is driven from the main crank shaft of the engine by means'of a driving connection contained in the housing 30 and a clutch mechanism operated by a lever 32 and a rod 53 extending to a con- 50 trol" button 54 located on the instrument board of the car.

The discharge of the supercharger is'con nected by a pipeline 35 with the air intake of the carburetor 21. Includedin the pipe line 35'is a fitting 36 having a flange 3 7 to which is'fastened a pressure'relief valve genf erally'indicated by the numeral 38 andjillustrated indetail in Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive. The valve consists of a housing portion 39 having a flange 40 mating with the fia nge'37. A plurality of studs 41 are fastenedinthe flange, 37 and project through openings in theflange 40. Each of the studs 41 is sur-, rounded by a helical compression spring 42 abutting at one end against theflange 40 and at the opposite end against a washer 43 held in position on the stud 41 by a cotter pin 44.

Thehousing 39 carries a pin '45-, in turn A pivotally carrying a swinging air valve 46. The valve 46, when in theposition shown in Fig; 2, is adapted toclose an air intake opening '47 and thereby prevent theescape of air through the said opening fromthe housing 39. The interior of the housing 39 is connected with the interior of the fitting 36 by mating-openings 48 in the flanges 37 and 40.1" g *f 1 By this constructionthe operation-of the I supercharger {by raising the pressure inthe fitting 36 slightly above atmospheric pres: sure causes the valve 46 to close'the opening 47 to prevent the escape of air therethrough. Further increase of the pressure in the fitting 36 due to increased speed of the supercharger; backfiring of the engine or sudden closing of'the engine throttleat high speed causes the compression of the" springs 42 thereby removing the flange 4O from its seat on the flange 37 and allowing the escape of 109 carburetor '21 by means of a pipe air between the said flanges. This escape of air quickly relieves any excess pressure which may build up in the carburetor air intake.

The springs 42 are made with an extremely low compression constant and are intially compressed to the amount necessary to allow the escape of air at a predetermined excess pressure. The low compression constant permits the instant opening of the relief valve to its fullest extent upon reaching the said predetermined pressure.

In the upper portion ofthe fitting 37 is an opening 49 to which is connected an equalizing pipe 50, in turn connectedto an opening 51. in the top of the auxiliary gasoline tank 15. The equalizing pipe 50 has a branch 52 connecting with the float. chamber of the carburetor 21. By means of this equalizing pipe the gasoline supply tank and the carburetor float chamber are maintained at the same pressure as the carburetor air intake when the supercharger is in operation. WVhen the clutch lever 32 has been operated to stop the supercharger, the valve a6 is immediately openedby the suction produced in the carburetor air intake and permits the entrance of air at atmospheric pressure to the carburetor. In this case the equalizing pipes immediately allow the fuel tank and the carburetor float chamber to assume atmospheric pressure. Thus, the proper functioning of the carburetor is assured whether or not the supercharger is in operation.

In Fig. 1 a foot throttle 55 is carried on the foot board 56 of the car. The. foot throttle operates the lever 57 of the usual type butterfly throttle valve in the intake manifold 58 by means of rods 59 and60. The rod 60 is attached to a lever 61 carried upon a pin 62. inturn rotatably mounted upon a. portion of the relief valve housing. 39.

A. pair of eccentric cams 63 are carried on the pin 62 and are adapted to engage v the ends of a pair of pins 64 which are fixedly. mounted on-the flange 37. The movement of the rod 60 in the closing of the butterfly throttle valve causes the engagement of the cams 63 and the pins 64-, thus moving' the valve housing 39 against the pressure of the springs 42 to permit a partial. opening of the relief valve. By this means the chattering of the relief valve which-would normally occur at the release of the foot throttle is prevented. With the relief valve in the partially opened condition a sudden increase ofpressure in the fitting 37 may still cause further movement of the valve to allow complete relief of pressure when necessary.

In the foregoing description the invention has been described as applied to a system wherein a main gasoline reservoir is located below the level of the carburetor and wherein the fuel is supplied therefrom by means of the vacuum tank. However, the invention is not to be limited by such description since it is equally applicable to a gravity supply system or to a system wherein a pump supplies gasoline directly from a low placed main reservoir to the carburetor float chamber. In each of these cases the pump 17, the vacuum tank 14 and the auxiliary tank 15 may be omitted. The equalizing pipe 50 will then be connected directly to the top of the main fuel'supply. tank and the common pinhole air vent in the fuel tank will be omitted.

The inventionclaimed is:

1. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a carburetor, of a supercharger, av conduit for. conducting air from. said supercharger to said carburetor, a pressure operable relief valve associated with said conduit. for automatically relieving ex.- cess pressure therein, a throttle for, con trolling the amount offuel mixture delivered to said engine,and aconnection between said throttle and saidrelief valve for partially opening said relief valve to prevent. chattering thereof when said throttle is in apredetermined position.

2. The combination with aninte-rnal combustion engine havinga carburetor, of. a supercharger, a conduit. for conducting air from said supercharger to said carburetor,a pressure operable relief valve associateclwith said conduit for automatically. relieving excess pressure therein, a throttle for controlling the amount of fuel'mixture delivered to said engine, and aconnection between said throttle andsaid relief valve for partially opening said relief valve to prevent. chatter ing thereof when saidthrottle. is inposition for minimum admission of' fuel mixture.

3. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a. carburetor, of a supercharger, a conduit. for conducting air from said supercharger to said carburetor, a valve associated, with said conduit. for permitting and preventing escape of] air therefrom, one or more .springs normally urging said valve into closed position against the pressure of air in said conduit, a throttle for controlling the amount of fuel mixture delivered to the engine, and a connection between said throttle and' reliefvalve for par.- tially opening said valve against the pressure of saidsprin'gs to. prevent chattering of said valve when said throttle-is in position for minimum admission of fuel mixture.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto-af- [ixed my signature.

CHARLES R. V GREUTER. 

